Let's talk about side.

[cyberheater]

I've been trying to learn how to use side on the white ball and frankly it's a bit of a struggle. I've recently read Terry Griffiths book on snooker and he said he would only use side as a last resort such is the difficulty of the shot.

On the other hand. I've seen youtube vids of Willie Thorn and he seems to play side on almost every shot he plays.

Does anyone know any useful drills on building up my knowledge of how to use side and how to judge how much I need to adjust my aim on the object ball to take into account the initial throw of the white ball and it's return to the original potting line?

[jim evans]

first i would just use white ball,send up and down the spots with varying degrees of side to see what control you have ie try to pot white in yellow bag then work up to try and get white in centre pocket,once you have seen how much control you have see if white deviates down the spots or throws as known,then put pink on spot white on brown try and pot pink in any corner this will give you an idea how much to use,then its just practice again.

[Terry Davidson]

I would alter what Jim has said and first try and get the cueball to run over the green and yellow spots and then into the baulk pockets. In addition ALWAYS ensure you hit the centre of the top cushion so you're not cheating.

When trying to use side too many players will use too much and the throw will cause them to miss the shot. It's all practice, so try potting a 3/4 black off the spot with running side. Try potting a 3/4 blue off the spot into middle and run the cueball up between brown and yellow or brown and green and have running side on it so it catches baulk and side cushions.

Another 3/4 blue shot but the other way to have the cueball hit the top cushion and come off straight and back for the pink.

These are shots you would use in a normal frame of snooker.

Terry

[j6uk]

mastering the center ball is what its all about, but for me the rare times i do use side, less is more

[sfmcar]

I would suggest when starting to bring side into your game go no more than a tips width off centre striking.In this range it will be easy to build confidence as the 'throw' will be minimal yet the side will still take affect.It will also be easy to get used to as every shot will have more or less the same throw as the range is small.Remember also to go into the shot on line with where your hitting the white,a common mistake is to go in on line as if hitting the centre of the white and simply pull the butt of the cue left or right so as to hit with side.

[mythman69]

I have been told by a few good players to avoid using side until I am making regular 40 breaks. Even then, use it only rarely as it does make things much more difficult. I do use it sometimes when I am on the black and trying to get better position off the top cushion and when potting the blue and running the cue ball off the baulk cushion to avoid hitting the green for example.

Still, it often leads to me missing an easy black or blue.

Given it is usually a friendly game I don't mind (too much).

Here is Nic Barrow showing how it is done.

[cyberheater]

Thanks for the excellent advise. I will incorporate these drills into my training routine.

So to be clear. If you are not putting a lot of side on the white. Say a whole cue tip from the center. You do not need to change your potting angle apart from offsetting your object ball aiming point the same amount?

[sfmcar]

Thanks for the excellent advise. I will incorporate these drills into my training routine.

So to be clear. If you are not putting a lot of side on the white. Say a whole cue tip from the center. You do not need to change your potting angle apart from offsetting your object ball aiming point the same amount?

Trial and error really because the distance between the cue ball and object ball comes into it.

[Tiger800]

If you lot would stop using ash cues with brass ferrules you wouldn't have all the deflection to manage

[j6uk]

we dont mind, some of us can manage the craft just fine

If you lot would stop using ash cues with brass ferrules you wouldn't have all the deflection to manage

[culraven]

I hate this thread, every time i see it i can't get salt n pepper out of my head!

[md5299]

I'm afraid it's a thing you'll have to learn yourself,playing the same shot with different cues will give you different results as will playing the same shot on different tables,also the speed the shot is played and whether you are playing against or with the nap of the cloth(minefield)plus the type of tip you have,
it is something you learn as you go along.

[davipp]

I was always confused on where to aim using side to pot a ball which was along way from the pocket, eg potting the blue off it's spot into the centre pocket when the cue ball is above or below the blue spot. I read a book, The Complete Book Of Snooker - by Eddie Charlton who explained it better with photos than any other book I have read.
As a young player I was shown the side thing which fascinated me like it does with most young players but unfortunately it was not explained in detail on how to aim and when and how to use it to my advantage. Needless to say me using side was more advantages to my opponent. I now tell young players to leave it alone unless the ball is hanging over a pocket.

[ace man]

You don't need any detailed explanation. What you need is many hours at the table. Adjustments will be then done subconsciously. There is no algorithm for playing snooker shots, using side or not. People simply expect too much too soon.

[cyberheater]

I have been told by a few good players to avoid using side until I am making regular 40 breaks. Even then, use it only rarely as it does make things much more difficult. I do use it sometimes when I am on the black and trying to get better position off the top cushion and when potting the blue and running the cue ball off the baulk cushion to avoid hitting the green for example.

Still, it often leads to me missing an easy black or blue.

Given it is usually a friendly game I don't mind (too much).

Here is Nic Barrow showing how it is done.

Thanks for adding the video. That was very useful.
One of the positional shots I find I come across that I need side is when I'm trying to get on a red which is close the right hand cushion between the blue and black pockets and I have a three quarter ball black into the black left pocket. Putting right hand side on the white allows me to (sometimes) pot the black and come off the bottom cushion with check side to come above the red to allow it to be potted in the right black pocket.
I hope that makes sense.